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The Official Ticket Center ~ Disney parades have always been the most spectacular and memorable source of attractions that the Park has to offer. They make an integral part of the Disney-Magic that we all love and enjoy time and again. With awesome display of creativity and technological brilliance they tend to capture the sights, sound and imaginations of fans for years now. For many a visit to the park wouldn’t be completed without seeing one of them. These most special, sparkling and out-of-the-world entertainment extravaganzas, beside their unique sights, sounds and technological creativities also offer great opportunities for fans to witness many favorite Disney characters – all in one place and at the same time. Whether its the amazing sound -tracks or dazzling floats or the characters decked with special costumes and waving at you, the entertainment that Disney parades offer is a never-ending saga of joy beyond imaginations.

Being a spectator to one of these amazing parade shows is like a dream come true. If anything, these unique entertainment events will make your theme-park experience even more special. They tend to offer the much needed excitement break during your park visits. Watching the colorful and spectacular parades on the streets of Magic Kingdom, or the enchanting parades at the Hollywood Studios or at Disney Animal Kingdom is simply delightful. Whether it’s during the day, or at night-fall, there is a special parade event for every parade lover in the park.

Talk about the all time classic Main Street Electrical Parade and you have a whole lot of memorable stories to hear about. This one of a kind night-time spectacle at the Magic Kingdom enjoys a very special place in the hearts and minds of fans since inception. It is the longest running parade in the Disney park history. The parade is also one of the largest Disney parades with about 23 floats, 80 performers and a galaxy of over 600,000 lights. One should not miss this legendary Parade.

Guests visiting the Disney parks also have many other great parade options to watch for such as Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade. This one of a kind day-time parade makes for a great celebration of classic Disney moments with upbeat music, floats and favorite Disney characters all cheering and marching ahead in front of your eye on the Main Street USA. Again the Animal Kingdom lovers also have the opportunity to witness the famous Mickey’s Jammin’ Jungle Parade where guests can join the team of Mickey and MinnieMouse, including Rafiki, Donald and Goofy in a wild and larger-than-life tribute to all the animal friends. At the Hollywood Studios, parade lovers are greeted with the most colorful and interactive parade – Pixar Pals Countdown to Fun Parade featuring favorite characters from Disney films such as Monsters Inc, Toy Story and more.

Moreover, if you are a Disney Parade fan and planning to visit the Park sometime during spring 2014, the good news is you have an all new Parade marching into the Magic Kingdom. Disney had recently announced the coming of a new procession – Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade. It is also revealed that the new Parade will incorporate the celebration of the new Fantasyland and features new innovative floats, costumes and original sound-tracks. Hope the upcoming Parade will take spectators experience to the next level.

It seems life as a theme park lover is not that affordable anymore. The dream experiences that we all aspire only get costlier at the world’s most beloved parks today. Whether you are an annual pass holder or a multi-day ticket user, or just buying a single day of fun for that matter there is no respite from the steep price hikes. The highly inflated ticket prices have left many fans and vacationers worried. They feel that the new prices are beyond justification – an act of greed demystifying the values (the traditional family oriented business concept) with which Walt Disney might had founded the empire once. But for the park officials – the changes in price is a part of the business and the new rates are set so as to reflect the quality of experience the parks provide. They believe that the updated pricing aptly suites the value of their tickets.

Every year the parks come up with new and significant price changes that tend to break the hearts of many fans and visitors. This year also – first it was the Universal Studios OrlandoResort, which created history by lifting the base price above the $90 mark for a one day, one park ticket. And then hardly two weeks after the mighty Disney followed suit by setting a new high in the theme park inflation war. The company introduces two different rates of admission for the first time this year. With its new price plans Magic Kingdom becomes the most expensive of all Disney parks at a cost of $95 per day ticket, while Epcot, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom will be available at a price of $90 per day.

At Disneyland too the price of a one day, one park base ticket rose from $87 to $92 and from $125 to $137 for a park hopper for both the California parks. The latest price hike also influences the rates of various other multi-day passes including the prices of annual passes. Even the Premiere Passport which allows entry at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resort is priced at an additional cost of $130.

Despite the hikes there are few fans who believe that running and maintaining a dream place is always an expensive affair. A company like Disney is always a champion in keeping the place to perfection, and since it never compromises with the quality of its attractions the price-hike is a must. On the other hand there are vacationers who think it is ridiculous to visit the parks now. As even after paying such a huge amount you still have to face the never-ending ride queues and more. However, regardless of the hikes, people still visit in large numbers and the parks are doing great in attracting more and more visitors every year. Probably it must be the magic which is priceless and needs no justification.

For the fans of Star Wars nothing is so exciting than what Disney Star Wars Weekends have to offer. Started in 1997, this one of a kind exclusive Disney World event is a must anticipated fantasy-fest which celebrates and brings to life the favorite actions and scenes from the Iconic film saga of all times. Every year from May through June Disney Hollywood Studios theme park becomes the most happening place to look for. During the period the Park is at its best with plenty of special and unique Star Wars activities and attractions that every fan and guest loves to celebrate and enjoy. Continue reading →

The expansion at Fantasyland doubled the size of the park and will include the Imagineer Princess Fairytale Hall and the Fantasy Forest and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train roller coaster.

Disney said the expansion will help make guests feel like a Disney movie character.

At Princess Fairytale Hall, guests will be able to meet all of the Disney princesses.

“You don’t have to hunt around the park for them or go on a goose chase or a princess chase or whatever you want to call it, you’ll be able to go here and see the princesses and meet with them,” said spokesman Jason Grant.

The hall, which opens later this year, will have a different feel and look than Cinderella’s Castle.

There is no doubt that fraudulent sale of attraction tickets and passes have been a major cause of concern for the leading theme parks in Florida. Over the years many such ticket scams were registered and illegal ticket brokers had been penalized. Also there were many innocent guests, who had to leave the parks disappointed for this, while the officials or administration bore the blame time and again. Yet the presence of this nefarious trade is very much active and for Disney and others, the practice has influenced the growth of so-called “criminal cottage Industries” in Florida today.

However, in an effort to discourage this illegal practice (buying & selling of used tickets), the parks have adopted strict measures like installing finger bio-metric scanners at the entrances and printing warning signs or messages on their tickets. But now Disney is on for a complete revolution. The $1 billion Next-Gen MyMagic+ system promises to take entire ticketing experience to the next level. And this has brought the necessity for Disney to ensure that the existing state ticket laws are revised to accommodate the upcoming advance systems.

According to company officials, change in the current laws is a must as ticketing systems have taken a big leap today. The use of advance technology has enabled guests to enjoy a more convenient ticketing experience far beyond the conventional printed tickets. The current state of law is not fit to support a more advanced and technologically inspired system like the magic bracelet that Disney is launching soon. As such, the company is urging the State lawmakers to rewrite the laws to include the upcoming changes in ticketing system.

For example Disney is eying for modifications in sections such as the use of the term “multiuse tickets.” Instead Disney wants to rephrase it as “any right designed for admission”. This will expand the meaning of tickets – beyond the regular printed versions and cover other forms of tickets like the new MagicBands bracelets as well. Also the Park is looking for a change in the way it exercises the power of the “non-transferable” warning (which usually come printed on plastic and paper tickets). Instead the company wants the legislation to say that the warning may be found in the company’s website from now on. For Disney it becomes impossible now to print the warning in their MagicBands from practical standpoint. Also the company is aiming to launch the band in many different and colorful versions as souvenirs for sale. Adding a warning sign to it won’t support its aesthetic objective as such.

Moreover, Walt Disney Parks had already started rolling out new plastic cards with radio-free ID chips, part of the MyMagic+ program. Annual pass holders can swap their paper passes with the advance plastic version and can avail the benefit of using the new Park Entrances for now. But eventually, the pass holders will also be able to enjoy other features such as the FastPass+ service, and the MagicBands, associated with the program once it is fully functional.

After the recent announcement of Disney Springs by the theme-park execs, it seems the famous Downtown Disney complex couldn’t have a better future than what the upcoming mega transformation plan holds for now. The much anticipated Disney Springs project is intended to bring a complete change in both the look & feel, including the size of the existing Downtown Disney area in Lake Buena Vista.

Like the theme-parks, this most happening shopping, dining and entertainment district is also destined to change with a magical themed inspired by the turn-of-the century lakeside towns of Central Florida landscape. For the next three years fans will witness a great transformation of the area until it gets fully converted to the most exciting and imaginative setting by the waterfront which will be known as Disney Springs.

The new Disney Springs project, besides its unique and story-telling feature also promises huge expansions both in the size of the existing complex and the amount of attractions it offers. The area will be extended to encompass four outdoor neighborhoods all connected with a spring and lakefront. Disney Springs will start with the New Town Center, and from where it will spread to three additional neighborhoods – The landing, Marketplace and West Side (home of Cirque du Soleil). The new expansion will also encompass the current parking lot, and two new garages that will house a total of about 6,000 vehicles. It is also revealed that the number of shopping, dining and entertainment venues will be increased by two-fold once the project is completed. One could also expect the additions of some of the most iconic eating and entertaining brands of the world.

The upcoming expansion is no doubt the grandest expansion in the history of this ever-changing shopping, dining and entertaining destination. But for the Disney planners the ultimate objective is to provide a more vibrant and much bigger imaginative setting- where guests will have more options to shop, dine, relax and entertained without missing the homely feel.

Disney Springs is of course an imaginary re-invention of a magical Florida town which has its roots in the company’s own Sunshine State heritage. It is also believed that the new transformation will exposed visitors to a rather suburban kind of feel than the urban aura of the existing complex. Even the name Disney Springs is expected to be a fitting brand-identity to mark such a significant multi-year transformation. For me this new initiative by Disney is another out-of-the-box move in transforming a rather disjointed Downtown Disney area to a more in-depth, creative and well-connected shopping, dining and entertainment destination like never before.

Epcot International Flower and Garden Fest Adds Food for the First Time

Step into Disney World’s twentieth Epcot International Flower & Garden Fest; you will be amazed with an array of whimsical topiaries and sweeping garden landscapes along with some of the much anticipated debut attractions. But hey! This is not all, as the annual spring event also brings in the incredible tastes of its fall cousin for the first time in the history of the event. You will have an entire list of food menu to try during the fest. But don’t get confused because of the food kiosks – it is still the most happening spring fest and not the great Epcot International Food & Wine Festival which takes place annually during the later part of the year. Disney is also very careful about not to repeat items from the autumn Festival.

According to the officials the idea of introducing food at the Epcot International Flower & Garden Fest is going around since many years, and which finally culminated in the form of the exotic and edible landscapes and garden marketplace at the 2013 annual spring fest. It is also believed that adding foods to the gardens can boost the visitors’ traffic in big numbers.

If you are visiting the famous annual fest at Disney Epcot this year (from March 6 – May 19, 2013), you will have the option of enjoying some quality time with exotic food and beverages amidst spectacular and magical gardens. Around the World Showcase promenade you will find garden marketplace with great culinary creations. Whether it’s a swing of blueberry wine or the taste of incredibly prepared pineapple snack with spice rum, or a bite of some delicious watermelon salad, the blooming landscapes make the best of feast both for your eye and dining appetites this year.

Again for Disney movie fans the fresh gardens have introduced new attractions in the form of the “Land of Oz Garden” – a magical play zone for kids that reflects the story of the new Disney film the “Oz the Great and Powerful”. Also there is the phenomenal display of characters and scenes from the upcoming Disney movie the “Monsters University”. A look at the amazing topiaries of one-eyed Sully and Mike, backed by monstrous flower towers will take visitors into the world of the fictional university which is famous for mastery in the art of scare techniques.

However, the highlight of this year’s International Flower & Garden Fest at Epcot is not complete without a reference to the incredible topiaries of the “Sensational Six” that form the core of Disney Magic. You will be amazed by the sights of these tall, larger than life size topiaries of the iconic Disney characters- Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Donald and Daisy Duck, Goofy and Pluto all in their best celebration mood.

The Official Ticket Center ~ Mastering the Internet and online media is a tricky affair, and for a traditional media conglomerate like Walt Disney Co. it’s a series of challenges. The animation giant is no doubt reign supreme when it comes to the world famous Theme Parks and Animation blockbusters. But the same is not true for the company on the New Media side. Specially, in the gaming, mobile and Internet divisions the company incurs consecutive losses. However, given the recent developments, including the important official announcements of late, it seems that Disney is desperate in turning around its digital initiatives like never before. Moreover, the launched of a new Disney website last year, followed by the official disclosures of the upcoming NextGen Disney Experience project- ‘MyMagic+‘ and the announcement of the latest and most unique gaming initiative- ‘Disney Infinity‘ have shown how serious the company is in enhancing its Digital Footprint. Continue reading →

At Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, we continually push the boundaries of creativity and innovation to deliver the best possible experience for our Guests. We’re always looking for ways to take what we do and do it even better.

Over the past few years, we’ve devoted considerable time and resources to create a more immersive, more seamless and more personal experience for each and every Guest who spends time with us. I know there’s been significant speculation about these efforts among our fans, so we’re pleased to give you a glimpse into the work we are doing to take the entire Disney Guest experience to the next level.

Some of these initiatives are more apparent and can already be seen by our Guests – like our interactive queues at Walt Disney World® Resort and the Enchanted Art on our cruise ships – while others are more behind-the-scenes and are focused on “how” visitors plan, access and enjoy their experiences with us. Over the next several months, we’ll be rolling out a collection of tools at the Walt Disney World Resort called MyMagic+ that will give Guests more opportunities to customize and personalize their entire visit.

Like most people who visit Walt Disney World Resort, my family and I have our “must-do” attractions, and as the father of three boys, those attractions often end with the word “mountain.” Now, rather than dashing as a group, or even splitting up to gather FastPasses, imagine booking guaranteed ride times for your favorite shows and attractions even before setting foot in the park. With MyMagic+, Guests will be able to do that and more, enabling them to spend more time together and creating an experience that’s better for everyone.

A major component of MyMagic+ is the new My Disney Experience website and mobile app, which gives Guests planning their trip the latest information on all Walt Disney World Resort has to offer. We know that some people like to plan every aspect of their Disney vacation in advance while others like to plan very little, letting their day unfold spontaneously. No matter where Guests fall in that spectrum, My Disney Experience gives them the flexibility to plan as much or as little as they’d like to create the exact Disney experience they want. They can book dining and other experiences and reserve times for their favorite attractions, shows and more through an enhanced FastPass system, FastPass+. Once they arrive, they can use their smart phones to spontaneously change their plans in the moment, exploring our parks at their own pace and getting the most out of their visit.

Linking the entire MyMagic+ experience together is an innovative piece of technology we developed called the MagicBand (or Card). It will serve as a Guest’s room key, theme park ticket, access to FastPass+ selections, PhotoPass card and optional payment account all rolled into one. We’ve began testing certain aspects of MyMagic+ in Florida last month and the early reactions we’ve gotten have been fantastic.

This collection of tools is another step forward in the ongoing evolution of our Guest experience, giving us even more ways to help friends and family create the unforgettable Disney memories that they want most. We’ll be testing, adjusting and adding features to MyMagic+ and My Disney Experience over time and will continue to make improvements based on our Guests’ feedback. We look forward to sharing more with you in the months ahead!

The Official Ticket Center 12/20/2012 ~ It was Just a year ago, when we were acquainted with one of the most exciting Disney World projects. The animation empire Walt Disney Co. had announced its plans for an “Avatar Land” in the Animal Kingdom. The initial announcement came as a great relish for die-hard Avatar fans; had elevated their excitements to new heights. Indeed the very thought of James Cameron’s mysterious Planet Pandora and the amazing tall- blue natives – the flying dragons is awe-inspiring to many. And with Disney’s proclamation of bringing the actions of Pandora to life is seen as an unbelievable experience in the offing.

However, after months of no hard news or any official disclosure from Disney on this matter fans are losing their patients now. The only thing that people heard about the project is the initial announcement and few rumors about some kind of mysterious “flight simulator ride”, which is probably what Disney is planning for the new Avatar Land project. Also there was a strange sight of a “dragon prototype” spotted by few others, who tried to connect it with probably the Disney World’s version of an Avatar Dragon. Nothing is clear so far about the schedules of the project and neither there is any real information about the kind of attractions the project will have. People begin to believe that the Disney-Imagineers are either very secretive about the project and its nature or the project is not in their list of important Plans at all.

There is also the sense that the anticipations of Avatar Land will get crushed forever. Some are of the opinion that the project is heading to a complete shut down owing to various uneasy-circumstances that surface, such as creative differences between Disney-Imagineers and Cameron. Also the speculations about Cameron’s Avatar sequels (running off-schedules, including fourth Avatar might not be in the production at all) send a dis-heartening signal. Moreover, given the news of other major upcoming Disney plans, including “Cars Land” and “Star-Wars” expansion (following the recent Lucasfilm Acquisition by Disney) the hopes of getting an Avatar Land soon is becoming a distant cry.

However, I suspect that the prospect of an Avatar Land in Disney Animal Kingdom is still alive and going great. According to the news article published at IGN Entertainment – “Update on Walt Disney World’s Avatar Land” dated December 7, 2012 it seems Disney-Imagineers are secretly excited in taking forward the project in a grand style. They are all set to take on the challenges of bringing the world of Pandora and its characters to life, including other very rich, magical places of the upcoming sequels of James Cameron. But when we will have the first- real Pandora experience and rides is still a mystery and I believe the fans will have to bear a long wait for this until Disney thinks otherwise.